SSSM Surgical Mentorship Program 2026

The SSSM Surgical Mentorship Program is a structured, semester long initiative that pairs University of Melbourne medical students with practising surgeons, providing meaningful career guidance, insight into the surgical pathway, and sustained professional mentorship from within the discipline.

Originally piloted at Northern Health in 2025 by SSSM-NH with an inaugural cohort of 20 students, the program demonstrated strong demand and, following a structured review of that cohort's feedback, was expanded in 2026 across all University of Melbourne clinical schools under the Central SSSM umbrella.

The 2026 program operates across five participating hospitals: Northern Health, Western Health, Austin Health, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and St Vincent's Hospital, with each site running the program in close partnership with its respective Department of Surgery. Students are matched with volunteer surgeons based on specialty preference, participate in structured introductory meetings to discuss career goals and the surgical training pathway, and engage in ongoing reflections and follow up contact throughout the semester.

The program is designed to bridge the gap between medical education and the surgical profession, giving students early, direct access to the mentorship and guidance that shapes careers, while reflecting SSSM's commitment to fostering the next generation of Australian surgeons.